Monday, March 21, 2011

For those of you who are new around here, my little spot of the blogosphere is usually full of sewing projects... this whole Illustrator thing is a new discovery. So, I have a "back to what I know" post for you. This adorable little backpack I made for my 18 month old cutie:

LOVE toddler backpacks! They made it possible for me to ditch the diaper bag and have both my girls shlep their own baby stuff as soon as they were old enough to walk.

I found that adorable mushroom print fabric at a local fabric shop (I think it's from Japan... I thought I'd be able to find it on Etsy and tell you what it's called, but I don't see it, sorry). I NEVER buy fabric unless I have a specific project in mind for it... I know that's like sacrilege for those of us who sew... so I passed this fabric up the first time I saw it. 2 days later I decided on the toddler backpack and trecked back to the fabric store to pair it with a pink faux bois ("fake wood" in french) and limey green dots.

The backpack is a really wonderful pattern by Pattern Play. It comes together so simply, the instructions are easy to follow, able to be customized, and perfect for little hands to operate all on their own!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

I think I'm getting the hang of this whole illustrator thing! For this week's homework I made a blog button for you. I thought you could use it as a cute place to link to kinda whatever you want... like your favorite tags on your blog, a blog roll of your favorite blogs, a flickr group, your Etsy favorites, links you really like...

I know how to make the button and I know how I would get the button on my blog, but that's the extent of what I know. So, unfortunately you may have to do a little research on google if you can't get the way I outline below to work for you. Or if you know of an easier way to do this please please share in the comments!

2) Add a new picture gadget to your blog. I use Blogger, so for me, I do that by clicking on the Design tab, then add a gadget, then scroll down and select the picture gadget.3) Upload the button graphic as the picture and key the link to whatever the stuff you <3 is.4) Tell everyone about your cute new button and that I'm just giving them away over here at www.ellebellecreative.com ;)

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Why do you torment me so?! I depend on you multiple times a week to make my blog posts pretty and easy to read. I'm a faithful follower of so many of your bloggers, I read and read and read... I've done my part, please do yours! Please allow me to leave comments on the blogs I read. Please allow me to import more than one picture into my blog posts without jacking everything up and forcing me to exit and return to the compose window. And pretty please allow my most favorite people, my readers, to leave me a comment! I promise to love you forever or move to wordpress... just let me know.... k?

-Stacey

Now that that's over with, let's get on with Your Way Wednesday. As you may have guessed from the above little note, I couldn't leave comments for some of you who left links on last week's Your Way Wednesday. So I apologize, but unless you use the pop-up comment form style or are on a service other than Blogger, I couldn't leave you a comment (apparently some of my readers were having the same problem which is why I switched back to the pop-up format). But that won't stop me from showing you all my favorite link:

I want to see your way! I'm really excited to give you an opportunity to do just that with a link party!

Only two rules for you:

•Add my lovely "Your Way Wednesday" button to your blog or blog post that you link up to

•Please link directly to your blog post, not a giveaway, your link party, your Etsy shop, or even just the home page of your blog.

In exchange for following the rules, I'll leave a comment on your blog post (if I'm able! Do you think someone from Blogger will actually read that... how sweet would that be?!) & if you're my favorite post I'll feature you on my blog for my next Your Way Wednesday.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Week 2 of my Illustrator 101 class through Nicole's Classes is complete and as promised, I've made a little something for you... a couple lunchbox notes to include in your kiddos St. Patricks Day and Easter bentos (yes these notes will also work with a regular non-bento lunch, but I don't recommend it).

Just click on the picture below to be taken to docstoc where you can download the PDF for free!

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

We recently discovered a hydroponic U-Pick farm right near our house. Picking our own veggies, and a basket full of strawberries so we can make a big salad for dinner and strawberries with whipped cream for dessert is quickly becoming our Spring time tradition! Last week we asked some friends to come with us and we made a little (literally!) picnic to enjoy after all that picking.

We had mini club sandwiches, "watermelon" slices, and tiny smores.

We made the "watermelon" by cutting some limes in half, scooping out the fruit (that was a lot harder than it sounds), filling it with Jello made the jigglers way, and sliced once the jello is set.

I picked up a skinny baguette from the bakery to cut for the sandwiches. Topped it with turkey, cheese, a grape tomato, and a toothpick.

The smores were my favorite!﻿ Stack mini marshmallows on top of a squares of Golden Gram cereal, toast just a few seconds, smoosh a mini chocolate chip in the top and toast until barely brown, top with another Golden Gram.

I was lucky I managed to get Your Way Wednesday posted at all last Wednesday, let alone feature my favorite link from the week prior (I did however trace a hand in Illustrator using the pen tool as well as the pencil tool ;)). So here you have it, my favorites from the last two Your Way Wednesday:

I LOVE this idea! She put together the sweetest little gift of a super cute pin cushion and these darling pins in a little matchbook pin case. I would jump for joy if I received a package like that in the mail!

From the week before, The Polka-Dot Umbrella posted this bunting quilt:

I've been thinking about this quilt since. The way she put it together makes it so easy and totally doable even for a non-quilter! You should definitely stop by the Polka-Dot Umbrella, to check out this quilt, but also the other great ideas on this blog... tons of fun creative ideas for your kiddos!

Now it's your turn!

Crafting is my way to relieve stress & stretch my creative muscles.

Sewing is my way to have some uninterrupted time to myself.

Bentos are my way to show Elle I'm thinking about her.

Parties are my way to love on my girls & our friends

Tutorials show my way of making this or that.

I want to see your way! I'm really excited to give you an opportunity to do just that with a link party!

Only two rules for you:

Add my lovely "Your Way Wednesday" button to your blog or blog post that you link up to

Please link directly to your blog post, not a giveaway, your link party, your Etsy shop, or even just the home page of your blog.

In exchange for following the rules, I'll leave a comment on your blog post & if you're my favorite post I'll feature you on my blog for my next Your Way Wednesday.

Monday, March 7, 2011

The One Year Old in a Flash party I planned for Liv's 1st birthday is a finalist in a Party of the Year Contest! I'm so not above begging you to vote for me... click here to check out the details and a link to the page to cast your vote.

If you found my blog because of the parties I've planned or have spent any time perusing the blogosphere for parties, I'm sure you're familiar with Kara's Party Ideas. Kara features amazing parties every single week! She picked her top 5 for the contest and I'm so thrilled Liv's made the cut!

Friday, March 4, 2011

I’m really excited to tell you about a class I’m taking! It’s an Illustrator 101 online class through Nicole’s Classes. I really like the format of the class and I plan to do a more formal review of the experience and Nicole’s Classes when I’m finished with the course. But for now, I wanted to tell you about it because I’ve been spending some of my blogging time on Illustrator & will need to continue to do that for the month of March. But, the good news is that there are weekly homework assignments during which I can make fun projects to share here on my blog… sort of in exchange for neglecting you all just a bit (not too much though, Your Way Wednesdays will keep going & I’ll fit in other fun things as soon as I have a chance to write them up).

Our first assignment was to design & create a 16”x20” typographic poster. I submitted two for my homework. I made one for a friend and another for my favorite blog readers (you all of course!). First up, the one I made for a friend:

Cute right?! It’s a simple design but I really like the font and the colors.

And I made this one for you:

I thought it would be really cute in a nursery or over a crib. Framed, it would make a unique shower gift for a mommy-to-be too.

If you want this poster, (I hope that means you like my blog and are a follower *wink*wink*nudge*nudge) just leave me a comment with your email address and I’ll email the file to you. You can have it printed at any photo processing lab (Costco prints this poster size for $5.99), pick up a poster frame with a 40% off Michael’s coupon, and you’ll have inexpensive fun wall art!

About Me

Stacey is a business analyst by day and blogger/seamster/ crafter/party planner/aspiring Super Mom by night & weekends. When she's not solving fortune 500 companies system and process problems she's making whatever inspires her at the moment. Her uber supportive husband, Doug, and adorable daughters, Elle & Liv, are her motivation, inspiration, and sense of accomplishment.